Warriors A Star of Hope
by OverLordy
Summary: Sorry I deleted the last one, I didn't think it was good enough. Well here's my new one! A young loner named Star stumbles into ThunderClan camp after a badger attack, now follow her story as an apprentice. UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
1. Alligiances

Warriors

A Star of Hope

ALLIGIANCES 

ThunderClan

Leader Silverstar- Handsome silver tom with unusual blue eyes.

Deputy Lightpelt- Light golden tom

Apprentice, Frostpaw Medicine Cat Moonflower- Beautiful gray she-cat with white moon shaped markings around her eyes.

Apprentice, Robinpaw

Warriors Silvermoon- A light gray tabby she-cat with silver - Dark ginger tom with large claws Mistyleaf- White she-cat with silver specs

Apprentice, Starpaw

Goldenlight- Dark golden tabby tom

Apprentice, Smokepaw

Mudpelt- Dark musky brown tom

Apprentice, Wetpaw

Stormlily- Grey she-cat with violet eyes

Grassclaw- Dark tabby tom with green eyes

Owlmoon- Old musky brown tom with a white face

Apprentice, Mousepaw

Skyclaw- White tom with blue eyes

Crowtalon- Black tom with sharp claws

Mosseyes- Gray she-cat with dark green eyes

Brightpelt- Silver she-cat with a sparkly pelt

Apprentices

Frostpaw- A white tom with a silver underbelly, green eyes

Wetpaw- A long haired gray tom

Smokepaw- A dark gray, almost black she-cat with a white underbelly Robinpaw- A dark brown tom with ginger front, green eyes.

Mousepaw- Dark brown tom with a long tail

Starpaw- White she-cat with silver markings on her back that look like stars, unusual silver eyes

Queens

Nightshade- Black she-cat with a gray underbelly

Lilyfur- Light gray she-cat with green eyes

Spottedpelt- Light gray tabby with a lovely dappled pelt

Elders Murkeyes- Very dark brown tom with almost black eyes, oldest cat in ThunderClan

Smallnose- Light tabby she cat with a small nose, oldest she-cat in ThunderClan.

RiverClan

Leader Berrystar- Elderly gray she-cat with a pink nose

Deputy Mossclaw- Brown tabby tom with green eyes

Medicine Cat Hazelpelt- Ginger tom with one blue and one green eye

Warriors

Sleekfoot- blue-gray tom

Streamsong- Beautiful silver she-cat with blue eyes

Whiteclaw- Gray tom with unusually clean claws Apprentice, Hawkpaw

Graymist- Silver she-cat

ApprenticesHawkpaw- Light brown tom with amber eyes

QueensHoneytail- Golden tabby she-cat

EldersMudface- White she-cat with a brown face

ShadowClan

Leader- Nightstar- Black she-cat

Deputy- Whitefoot- White she-cat

Medicine cat- Barkleg- Golden tom with light brown legs

Apprentice, Lakepaw

Warriors Icetalon- White tom with black underbelly

Oaklegs- Reddish tom with blue eyes

Apprentice, Webpaw

Fawneyes- Golden she-cat with brown eyes

Tawneylegs- Golden tabby tom

Apprentices Lakepaw- Dark gray she-cat.

Webpaw- Black tom with white stripes

Queens Fernpelt- Light gray she-cat

Elders Swiftclaw- Elderly black tom with sharp claws

WindClan

Leader Mintstar- White tom

DeputyPoppypelt- Golden tom with amber eyes

Medicine cat Snowtalon- White tom, green eyes

Warriors

Nightsky- Black she-cat.

Shadowpelt- Black and white tom

Apprentice, Riverpaw

Mooneyes- Silver she-cat with blue eyes

Cloudfur- White tom with blue eyes

Apprentices Rosepaw- White she-cat with a light gray belly, light pink eyes.

Riverpaw- Light gray tom

QueensMooneyes- Silver she-cat with blue eyes Goldenfoot- White she-cat with amber eyes

Elders Mousejaw- Gray she-cat with a brown muzzle


	2. Prolouge

Warriors

A Star of Hope

PROLOUGE

_A handsome silver tom prowled the forest in search of prey,_ the soft dew sodden moss of the forest floor oozing into his pads with every step. He opened his mouth, drinking in the fresh dawn new-leaf scents of the forest. A sweet scent then staggered over him, _Mouse! _He thought as he licked his lips. He dropped into a hunter's crouch, his hackles raised in the air. He scanned the forest for the prey he wanted. He quickly spotted the mouse scavenging along the roots of a bush with white flowers sprouting all over. _I should probably tell Moonflower about this, _he thought, _they're probably important herbs. _He quickly made note about it before stalking forward, his paws lightly skimming the ground. The silver tom was a rabbit length behind it when he pounced, his silver fur dancing as he leaped. He pinned the mouse down and dispatched the creature with a swift blow to the neck. He sent a silent thanks to StarClan for the ripe prey this new-leaf.

He picked up his fresh-kill and padded over to where his patrol was waiting, Goldenlight, Mistyleaf, and Redclaw. They all had a pleasant pile of fresh-kill, "Hunting went well, I see." The silver tom purred. Mistyleaf nodded, "This new-leaf is great." She purred then looked down at the silver tom's mouse. "I see you caught a load full this time, Silverstar." She mewed playfully. "Let's go take our fresh-kill back to camp." She mewed as she picked up her fresh-kill and the others did the same. They set out for the bracken tunnel that leads into the ThunderClan Camp.

Silverstar set the fresh-kill onto the pile that the clan made sure had been fully stocked every day. He padded over to Moonflower's den. Her den was in a clearing behind a wall of lichen and her den was a fern cavern. Moonflower padded out of her den, "Hi, Silverstar." She mewed. "Wonderful new-leaf isn't it?" she purred. "Yea," Silverstar mewed, "The prey is wonderful, and the fresh-kill pile is full." Moonflower purred and sat herself down. "So what is it Silverstar?" she asked. He told Moonflower about the herb he found. "Ah yes, feverfew, we're running low on that, I'll go get it later on."

Silverstar padded out of Moonflower's den and headed over to his own. Silverstar's den was a hollow next to the Highledge covered with lichen. He found the young apprentice, Wetpaw, cleaning out his moss bedding and laying out a shrew. He mewed a greeting to Wetpaw before he sat down in his new moss and began eating his shrew as he watched the sun climb the sky and begin sinking. "Silverstar?" a voice sounded and made Silverstar jump. It was his deputy, Lightpelt. "You want to come on the evening patrol?" Silverstar nodded and got up. He padded outside to where Mosspelt, his apprentice, Wetpaw, and Grassclaw were waiting.

Silverstar and his companions headed for the opening in the camp walls in which they had made a bracken tunnel that you had to crawl through. They headed over to start at the Twoleg path, the boundary between ShadowClan and ThunderClan. Silverstar sniffed the rank smells of ShadowClan scent, and the fresh smells of their own. "Let's keep on going, no trouble here." Silverstar kept heading along the border until they reached the stream to the Moonpool, the sacred pool of the four clans where medicine cats go every half moon to share tongues with StarClan as for leaders when they have to. He looked up at the great hill that lead to the Moonpool and continued along the border between them and WindClan, looking across to the barren landscape with large bunches of heather everywhere. Silverstar nodded again and set out once more with his patrol behind him.

They looked across the lake to RiverClan territory, the clan they didn't border. Silverstar sighed and headed back to the stony hollow which was their and his patrol entered the camp just as the sun begun to set. Silverstar padded over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a plump squirrel. He scanned the cave for his sister, Stormlily, and then located her sitting beneath the Highledge. Silverstar picked up his squirrel and padded over to her. "Hi, Stormlily," he mewed. "Hello Silverstar," she mewed happily. "How was the patrol?" She asked. "It was fine everything's in order at the boundaries." "That's nice," purred Stormlily. Silverstar looked up at the setting sun, washing the sky in a soft scarlet color and from the corner of his eye; Silverstar could see the young Smokekit playing. "It's time she became an apprentice," Stormlily meowed. Silverstar nodded and finished his squirrel. He gave Stormlily a swift lick, then got up and leaped onto the Ashtree. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting. He gestured with his tail to Smokekit, whose fur was smooth and glossy from being groomed by her mother, Nightshade, bounded up onto jutting rock quickly scrabbled up beside Silverstar.

"This is a proud day for ThunderClan," he announced, "by naming apprentices we show ThunderClan will survive and remain strong. Smokekit, from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw."

Silverstar then called up Goldenlight. "Goldenlight, you are ready for another apprentice, you will be Smokepaw's mentor. May you pass on your wisdom and strength to her and teach her the skills that will make her a brave warrior of ThunderClan."

Goldenlight and Smokepaw touched noses slowly while the clan started chanting her name. "Smokepaw, Smokepaw!" Goldenlight and Smokepaw hopped off the Highledge together and Smokepaw trotted with the other apprentices to their den. Silverstar purred at the new apprentice and headed to his own den, where he curled up into a tight ball and quickly fell asleep.

Silverstar was engulfed in darkness; all he could see was pitch back. The blackness then faded to reveal the Moonpool, and then a ginger tom appeared out of nowhere, stars lightly glistening in his fur. "Hello, Firestar." Silverstar said respectfully. "Yes." Firestar said. Silverstar gave the old leader a curt nod before Firestar started speaking. "I have come with a prophecy from StarClan." He began. "A star of hope will light the path of the clans."

Silverstar looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. "I must go now," Firestar meowed nobly. "Continue to take care of ThunderClan." The old ThunderClan leader before he began to fade away. "Wait! What do you mean?" Pitch black engulfed him once more and he was in front of a star, glistening silver light engulfed him from within the darkness.

He was standing on a faint path, the star's reflection glistening beautifully. He looked up at the setting sun, which he realized that the sky was red with blood! The star started moving forward, guiding him on the path, the warm smell of blood welled up in his mouth. He realized that he was walking across the lake, which was now filled up with blood that was lapping at his paws with every step. The star reached over and touched the warm blood with a light and the blood fell back into the blue lake.

Silverstar looked over his shoulder and saw what amazed him. It was a large group of cats all following the star. The groups of cats were the size of all four clans put together. He stared in awe at the star which was quickly fading and he could here a faint voice, "I will do whatever it takes to save the clans." She meowed, and then began to fade as well.

Silverstar jolted awake, Firestar's words echoing in his mind, "A star of hope will light the paths and protect them from the icy frost that will threaten the forest." He could still feel the ice clutch of the path on his paws. Silently, he looked outside at the dawn sky, only one single star remained, _is that the star that will guide us on the path of frost? _

He wondered and he fell back into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 1

Warriors

A Star of Hope

Chapter 1

A white she-cat with silver stars marking her back about six moons old walked with her mother, a black she-cat, along path separating the pine and the oak forest. "Momma?" she asked. "Yes Star?" The young she-cat opened her mouth and drank in the sweet scent of catnip. "Why can't we go and get some catnip?" she asked. "That's because it's in the Twoleg gardens. Their young might capture us." Star looked up at her mother with big pleading, silver eyes and opened her mouth and detected another scent in the forest. "I think I smell some more this way."

Excited, Star hopped off the wall and sprinted into the forest. "Star, wait!" her mother sighed and hopped off the wall after her kit. Star was rummaging around in a bush and located the sweet plant. She picked out a few of the leaves and placed the pile on the ground beside her mother. "Want some?" she asked. Her mother shrugged and took a leaf and chewed it slowly in her mouth.

She looked down at Star who had just finished her third piece. "Not so much Star," her mother warned. "That is your last piece, if you eat to much you'll get a belly ache." Star pricked her ears towards a bush. She leaped towards it and stuck her head in.

Star went through the bush and saw a large gray tom approaching her. She squealed and leaped onto his back, purring. He stepped out of the bush and Star's mother touched noses with him.

"Hello, Sky," he meowed, "I see Star is healthy." Sky purred, "Yes, Ash." Ash purred and dropped two plump mice in front of him. Star leaped onto one of the mice and took a ravenous bite. She looked up from her prey and at her father, Ash. "Mm, it's good," she purred before taking another bite and licking her lips as she finished. "Thank you." She yawned before curling up into a ball and falling asleep.

Star was dreaming she was in a clearing with four massive oaks. She looked around franticly and a sweet scent washed over her. Star relaxed immediately and a beautiful tortoise-shell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat came to her. Another she-cat appeared she was blue-gray with beautiful blue eyes. The two cats seemed to have stars in their fur and they looked strong and healthy. "Hello Star," the dappled she-cat mewed. "I am Spottedleaf, and this," she gestured with her tail towards the blue she-cat, "Is Bluestar," Star acknowledged the two cats known as Bluestar and Spottedleaf with a bow of her head. _What funny names, _she thought to herself, _I'm happy I don't have names like that. _

"Why have you come to me?" Star asked. Spottedleaf approached her slowly, "You are destined for greatness, Star," she said with a purr, "You have been chosen by StarClan to lead ThunderClan in times of need." Star tilted her head, "ThunderClan and StarClan? What are those?" Bluestar approached her this time, "All will be explained in time, young one." Bluestar meowed. "If there is any trouble, look to the cats in the forest for help." She touched noses with Star.

Star let out a shudder and woke up with a jolt to find herself back with her mother and father. She could still feel the coldness of Bluestar on her nose, she pondered slowly. _How can I look to the cats in the forest for help? Momma says they're dangerous. _She looked into the light forest on the other side of her, then the dense shady one on the other. She turned back to the nice forest. The branches where swaying in the wind and the forest seem to speak. "Star… come with us… Star…" Star blinked and shook her head. _Forests can't talk!_ She laid her head in her paws then a thought terrified her. _But the cats in them can…_Star stared at the dawn sky and only one single star remained in the sky. Her eyes felt heavy and she fell back into a deep sleep


	4. Chapter 2

**Me: Please read and reveiw!!! **

***Silverstar climbs up cliff* **

**Silverstar: For the now eaten bunnies in my belly **

**Me: *deathglares and kicks off silverstar* **

**Silverstar: Noooooooooooooooooooooo!**

Chapter 2

Star was awoken by a soft paw padding her side. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and stared up to a frightened Sky. "What's wrong Momma?" she asked. Sky flicked Star's nose as a gesture to smell. She opened her mouth for she detected scents better with the glands on the roof of her mouth. A disgusting reek washed over her and she made a face. "What is that smell?!" Star asked. "It's a badger." Her mother said. "What is badger?" Star tilted her head to the side as she waited for the answer. Sky sighed, "A badger is a great big beast with huge paws that hurt cats, maybe even kill them." As Sky finished as if in a signal, a huge creature with massive paws broke through the bramble.

It had a gray body and black around the eyes with a white head. Its reek washed over her immediately as it began thrashing around, trying to reach its back. "Star, hide quickly!" Star stayed rooted to the spot, paralyzed with fear. The badger turned around to reveal a gray cat clinging on with its claws. _Papa! _She thought to herself. Star stared closer to realize the cat was too small to be her father, and it had other cats trying to help it. "Star!" her mother yowled. Star immediately jumped into a nearby shrub which had enough room to see from. She stared in fear at her mother and father who leaped into battle side by side.

She watched in silent agony as thoughts tore at her mind, _What if they die? I wouldn't be able to live anymore…_Star pushed the thoughts away and continued to watch the battle. A silver cat had appeared out of the undergrowth followed by streaking pelts. The cat leaped onto the badger and clawed its side. The badger saw it as an open target and whacked it away with a huge paw. The cat flew and crashed into a boulder. Star shuddered at the immense strength the badger had and stared at the cat. It now seemed to have stars in its pelt and its wounds healed miraculously. The cat she thought to be dead lifted itself up and leapt at the badger, fighting with the strength of many cats in one, managed to drive off the badger. The badger swiped its paw one last time before plundering into the dense forest.

Star waited a few moments and the silver cat gave a yowl of victory, and ran back through the undergrowth. She waited again and cautiously stepped out of the bush. She scanned the clearing for her mother and father, but they weren't in sight. She approached stepped into the battlefield which was littered with dried blood and fur. She stared at the bloody mark on the boulder on which the silver cat died and came back alive. She stared around the mangled clearing, littered with a few bodies of cats. She spied one in particular; it was a she-cat with a shiny black pelt, and a slight dent in her head. Star gasped, _it can't be! _She thought to herself. She sniffed the she-cat and her scent came to her, washed with the scent of blood. It was her mother Sky, lying there dead. She scanned the clearing once more, searching for a familiar gray pelt. She spotted one. She thought it was the small wild cat she saw earlier, and she mistook it. The body looked so small and helpless. She couldn't bare it. Star approached it and scents it again. Its back is crippled and dried blood was chapping at its paws. She lifted her head up in a wail of agony. Star's mother _and _father both were killed.

Star slowly picked up her father by the scruff and dragged him to be with her mother. Star left a small space in between and laid there, curled up into a tiny, pathetic ball. She groomed away the blood on their fur and her paws. She groomed herself also, and realized the stars on her back were glowing. Star didn't care her markings and also her eyes did that when she was feeling powerful emotions. She lay their between her mother and father, like they were both sleeping peacefully, she buried her muzzle into her mother's fur before giving a sad lick to her father's. Star laid her muzzle into the crease of her fur and fell asleep besides her dead parents. Bluestar's words echoed in her mind, _"If there is any trouble, look to the cats in the forest for help."_ Star realized what she had to do, come dawn tomorrow, and she will set out to find the cats in the forest. Her thoughts laid heavily in her mind as she drifted to sleep.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Star finished burying her mother and father and set off into the deciduous wood. She eyed the passing prey with hunger and thought to herself, _It won't hurt if I just hunt and rest for a little bit…_She nodded to herself and dropped into a hunter's crouch, watching her mother taught her this. She snuck up on a fat mouse that was to busy searching for food itself to notice her. She was a mouse-length away when it looked up and pricked its ears. It bounded away soon after and Star stood up disappointed, a scent then washed over her. Star looked up to see the snarling face of a fox. Her mother had told her about them, how they're scavenger's and normally don't hunt. She stared at it and two, three more appeared. They were going to kill her! Star let out a wail and ran away, snagging her fur on a bramble thicket, and running straight into the silver cat she saw at the battle. They both gave a mew of shock and Star turned around to see the foxes still pursuing her. "AH! Don't let them kill me!" she mewed in a tiny voice and hid in the middle of what seemed to be a patrol.

It was made up of a white she-cat with silver specs, a dark musky brown tom, a grey she-cat with violet eyes, and a dark brown tom with ginger front that looked about her age. The white she-cat licked Starpaw's ears gently, "It's ok, little one, those foxes won't hurt you." Starpaw purred at the niceness this cat showed to her. _Maybe the wild cats weren't so bad after all! _She thought to herself. The silver cat, which was a tom, yelped orders to the youngest tom "Robinpaw! Bring her to the camp and bring back Lightpelt and a patrol!" Robinpaw nodded and burst through the undergrowth with Star at his heels. "This way!" he yowled, "You'll have to crouch through a bramble thicket at the edge of camp!" Star nodded and approached the wall of brambles; she ducked through a small opening and crawled through after Robinpaw. She emerged into a small clearing surrounded by large stone walls.

After they were clear of danger, Robinpaw set off to a light golden tabby tom followed by a dark ginger tom with large claws, a white tom with blue eyes, and a silver she-cat with a sparkly pelt. The light golden tabby tom, who she guessed was Lightpelt, nodded as Robinpaw explained the situation, "Owlmoon!" Lightpelt yowled, and an old musky brown tom with a white face shot out of a crevice in the stony walls of the cats' camp.

Lightpelt explained the situation to Owlmoon and he nodded and the patrol of cats bounded off through the bramble entrance. Robinpaw sighed and flicked his tail to Star as a gesture to follow him. She nodded and he led him into another crevice in the stone walls into a clearing, where a beautiful gray she-cat with white moon shaped markings approached her. "What have we here?" she meowed.

Robinpaw bowed his head, "She's a loner, Moonflower. She was attacked by a bunch of foxes and ran into Silverstar's patrol." Robinpaw gestured with his tail to several wounds on her body from running through the forest. Star had just now noticed the sting the wounds gave her and she tried not to wince. Moonflower nodded. "Let's got some cobwebs on those and for infections-," Moonflower paused, "Horsetail!" Robinpaw exclaimed. "Very good!" Moonflower purred, "And how do we use it?" Robinpaw answered quickly, "Chew it into a pulp and spit it onto the wound." Star just stared quizzically at the strange cats as Robinpaw chewed up a few leaves and spit them onto her wounds. Star winced, but strangely liked it as Robinpaw applied the cobwebs and laid his paw on them. Star purred as the burning went away. "So what's your name?" Robinpaw asked, "Star." She replied with a sigh, "I'm Robinpaw! Why are you out here anyway?" Star sighed and told him about the badger and the battle, "Oh my StarClan you poor thing!" Moonflower exclaimed from across the den. Star nodded and heard a yowl came from outside.

"Silverstar must be back." Robinpaw and Star went outside to where Silverstar was perched on a ledge outside of another den. "Let old cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Star guessed these were very old summons and sat at the base of the 'Highledge' beside Robinpaw. Before she could make herself comfortable, Silverstar flicked his tail towards her, beckoning her up. Star nodded slowly and gulped, she could feel all eyes on her as she climbed up to stand beside Silverstar. He turned to her, "What is your name?" he asked in a soft voice that was barely loud enough for the whole clan to hear. "S-Star." She stammered, her ears were flat against her head and she quickly lifted them up. "Star, would you like to join ThunderClan?" Star's head sprang up at the sudden question and she nodded. Silverstar closed his eyes and nodded slowly, "Very well." "Star, even though you have just now joined ThunderClan, I see you are ready to become an apprentice." Silverstar lifted his head, as though he were talking to the great blue sky. "This is a proud day for ThunderClan, by naming apprentices we show ThunderClan will survive and remain strong. Star, do you wish to learn the ways of a warrior?" Star wouldn't let this chance slip away and she nodded. "Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Starpaw." Silverstar gestured with his tail to the white she-cat who was so nice to her when she was being chased by the foxes. "Mistyleaf, you are ready for another apprentice, you will be Starpaw's mentor. I know you will pass on your wisdom and bravery to Starpaw like you did with Grassclaw, and teach her the ways of the skills that will make her a brave warrior of ThunderClan!" Mistyleaf bent forward and whispered in Starpaw's ear, "Touch noses with me," Starpaw nodded and touched noses with her as the clan chanted her new name, "Starpaw! Starpaw!" Starpaw had never felt this much pride in her life and sat down next to Robinpaw who gave her a swift lick on the muzzle. Starpaw purred and started her new life as a warrior of ThunderClan.


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Starpaw and Robinpaw sat side by side in the middle of his and Moonflower's den. Robinpaw was explaining to her the ways of the warrior code. "Medicine cats," that's what he and Moonflower were, Medicine Cats heal the sick and wounded using a wide verity of herbs. He told her some of the herbs, also. There were cobwebs to stop the bleeding in wounds, a wide variety of herbs were used to prevent infections on a wound, like horsetail. There was one berry, however, that killed cats. It was a red berry called a deathberry and the juices are poisonous. Robinpaw continued on telling Starpaw the warrior code, "Are not allowed to mate or have kits." He finished. Starpaw hung her head a little but not enough for him to notice, feeling disappointed at him being a Medicine Cat.

Starpaw was staying in the den with Robinpaw and Moonflower; there wasn't enough room in the apprentices den where the others were sleeping. Robinpaw had taught him the names of all the cats in the clan. The kits were Blossomkit and Cherrykit, the kits of the queen, Spottedpelt, and Elmkit and Marshkit, Lilyfur's newborn kits. The elders were Smallnose and Mudface. Earlier, she met the apprentices, Mousepaw, Wetpaw, Smokepaw and Frostpaw.

_*Flashback*_

_Starpaw and Robinpaw entered the large rocky crevice of the Apprentice's den. All of the apprentices gathered up there to rest before continuing on with their day. A white tom with a silver underbelly and green eyes lifted his head, "Hi! Welcome to ThunderClan, Starpaw. I'm Frostpaw." He purred. A dark grey, almost black she-cat nodded, "I'm Smokepaw and this," she gestured with her tail to two cats in the corner, one was a long haired gray tom and the other was a dark brown tom with a long tail, "is Wetpaw and Mousepaw." Wetpaw and Mousepaw scowled. Starpaw ducked her head and mewed thanks to the four apprentices, shooting a worried glance at the two toms she left. _

_*Flashback Over*_

She also met most of the warriors. Mistyleaf was her mentor to teach her the ways of a warrior. The deputy, the cat who was second in command and if the current leader died or retired the deputy would become leader and choose a new deputy before moonhigh, and then they go to the sacred Moonpool and obtain nine lives from StarClan, and obtain the name –star, was Lightpelt. _I wouldn't know all this if it weren't for Robinpaw… _Starpaw thought to herself. She was interrupted from her daydreams of Robinpaw by a stern voice. "Starpaw, it's time to begin your training." Starpaw shook her head and blinked, "Yes, Mistyleaf. I'll be right out." Mistyleaf nodded and left the medicine cat den. Robinpaw purred at Starpaw, "Good luck," he whispered in her ear and licked her cheek.

Starpaw purred and exited the den. She saw the camp bustling with apprentices and warriors doing their jobs. Starpaw examined the camp, taking in the scene around her. She saw the elders sunning themselves, and the queen Spottedpelt and the due queen Nightshade watching Cherrykit and Elmkit tussle in a mock fight. Starpaw blinked and looked at Frostpaw and Smokepaw eating together. She flicked an ear in greeting and they flicked theirs back. She looked around and spotted Mousepaw and Wetpaw with their heads bent together, talking in harsh whispers. Wetpaw lifted his head and glared at Starpaw.

Starpaw sighed and looked at the camp entrance. Stormlily, Grassclaw, and Silvermoon were returning from a border patrol. She looked up at Mistyleaf who was padding up to her. "Let's go out hunting." She mewed, as Mudpelt and Owlmoon trotted up to them, "May we join? We can gather up our apprentices also." Mistyleaf nodded and Starpaw's ears flattened to her head as Mousepaw and Wetpaw joined their mentors, shooting another harsh glare at Starpaw that went unnoticed by the warriors. "Let's head out then." Mistyleaf mewed and padded to the entrance of camp with the others trailing behind her.

Starpaw wavered in the back of the patrol, not looking at the other apprentice's there. The soft twitter of birds whistled through the trees, and their shadows where elongated by the setting sun. Starpaw took a deep gulp of the fresh forest air, savoring the taste. A breeze ruffled the patrol's fur and the leaves above waved at her as she passed.

The small hunting patrol came to a brisk halt near the Ancient Oak by the lake. "What do you scent?" Mistyleaf asked Starpaw. She tasted the air, letting the scents of the forest creep into her mouth and to the scent glands on the roof of her mouth. "I smell, water vole, mouse, and…" Starpaw sniffed again, "fox, but it smells stale." Mistyleaf purred, "Very good. Now, show me your stalking stance." She meowed and Starpaw dropped into a crouch, her belly fur brushed the ground and her haunches where kept low to the ground. "Excellent stance, put your entire wait on your haunches, stalk the mouse. Mice will be able to feel your paw steps before it sees, smells, or hears you."

Starpaw nodded and stalked forward, keeping all her weight in her haunches like she was told, in the direction of the mouse scent. She spotted it not too far away from the patrol grooming itself and stalked forward, ever so carefully, so not to disturb it. When she was a rabbit-length away, its large ears pricked and it scurried off for the shelter of a hollow in a tree's roots, but not quick enough. Starpaw sprang at the right moment and caught the mouse in her claws, and dispatched it with a swift bite to the neck. "Well done, Starpaw." Mistyleaf purred and Starpaw buried her prey. "I'll show you the territories now." She mewed and headed off. Mousepaw was staring at the ground and Wetpaw was glaring at her. Starpaw blinked and was determined to get some answers, and soon.


End file.
